This invention relates to a centrifugal pump apparatus particularly adapted for coolant circulation through an internal combustion engine.
Internal combustion engines are conveniently provided with a recirculating water cooling system to limit the operating temperature of the engine. Centrifugal pumps coupled to be driven from the engine crankshaft are widely employed. Various drive connections have been provided between the crankshaft and the cooling pump. Although belt drive or couplings are widely employed, gear couplings to the crankshaft or to other auxiliary shafts have been suggested. A direct gear drive, for example, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,001,517 where the cooling pump is coupled by suitable gearing to the end of an engine cam shaft. Although such pump structure has provided adequate cooling, there is a need for a compact mounting to the forward engine wall with convenient coupling to the internal combustion engine.
Generally, pumps of a centrifugal type employ a bladed impeller mounted within a pump housing having a suitable inlet and outlet for circulating of the water through the engine block. Various pump inlet-outlet configurations have been suggested for maximizing the efficiency of the pump operation. For example, the impeller may be formed with specially designed spiral blades which in combination with specially shaped chambers create a smooth flow with minimum cavitation. Although efficient systems have been developed, the special configurations of the impeller and the like result in relatively costly manufacturing processes with a relatively expensive pump construction.
There remains therefore, the need for a simplified centrifugal water pump which can be economically manufactured while maintaining a high degree of efficiency to permit connection as a water cooling source to an internal combustion engine or the like.